


12 Days of Dovemas

by wastelandcth



Series: The Doves [3]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: 5 Seconds of Summer - Freeform, 5SOS - Freeform, F/M, christmas series, dad!calum, the doves are a mess half of the time, the other half they are fluff and love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 22:41:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 11,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29848587
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wastelandcth/pseuds/wastelandcth
Summary: The holiday adventures of Calum and his family.
Relationships: Calum Hood/Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Doves [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194812





	1. Day One: Advent Calendars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dovey and the kids each get an advent calendar from Calum and he gets one from all of them.

Calum knew parenthood would include new experiences. When Charlie was first born he had seconds to learn what each one of his little noises meant and when Eloise was born he felt a little more confident in his parenting abilities. However, nothing prepared Calum for what he was currently doing in his office on the day before December started. Dovey and the kids had gone to bed early, school runs and errands making their sleep schedules match one another, Calum had been in his office working on what he liked to call the masterpiece of the season. How he had convinced himself that he was able to make an advent calendar for his family to count the days down until Christmas was beyond him. But he’d already been working on the calendar for what felt like weeks and he all he was missing was the calendar itself. So that’s how Calum found himself in his office late into a Monday night, hot gluing felt together so it resembled a Christmas tree. 

He’d gotten the idea from his mom, who had called him a few weeks back while she was unpacking the Christmas decorations that she’d been planning to put up around the house. She’d pulled out a wooden tree figure that had little drawers on each day of the month and Calum was transported back to his childhood where he would open up a new box every day to find a treat as the days inched closer to Christmas. He’d never even thought about his children not having the experience of an advent calendar until that day and he immediately got to work on planning the best advent calendar ever. He’d snuck off to the store on days where he knew Dovey and the kids were at school activities or when he was meant to be at the studio, arriving a few minutes later to recording sessions with his car full of decorations and crafting supplies. 

His plan was to fill each day with either candy for all of them or an activity that the family could all enjoy. One day he had slipped in tickets to the zoo, another had candy canes and little Lego sets he knew the kids would like. But his favorite had to be the day where he had planned to take them all to Dovey’s family home and spend Christmas with them. It had been a couple of months since Dovey had spent time with them and Calum knew he missed them, the kids too, so he was making it part of their Christmas adventures this year, something he hoped both Dovey and the kids would love. 

Calum was sat in the living room, staring at the green felt tree that was proudly hung onto the wall, weeks of hard work finally paid off as he waited for his family to wake up. Duke was sleeping in his lap, snoring the morning away while Calum sipped his coffee, soft Christmas music playing throughout the house as December first finally arrived. It wasn’t until his cup of coffee was finished that he heard the familiar sound of pitter-patter, Charlie and Eloise both rushing downstairs after hearing the music playing. Calum saw the way their eyes lit up when they landed on the advent calendar and then back on him.

“Papa! What is that! It looks magical!” Eloise said happily, rushing over to Calum’s side and climbing into his lap, “Is that our new Christmas tree?" 

"It’s our advent calendar, baby. It’s a countdown to Christmas so every day we get to open a new day and get a treat from it!” Calum nodded as he held his daughter, close, smoothing back the unruly curls that hid her bright eyes. “Do you like it?" 

"It’s so cool! Like the one, we made for you, papa! Can we open it all now?!”

“No Elly! We can’t open them now!”

“Yes, we can!”

“No!”

“How about we all thank papa for making such a cool advent calendar for us and show him the one you guys worked so hard on?” Dovey said, breaking up the mini fight from the two kids on Calum’s lap. 

She had disappeared, walking off down the hallway as the two kids on Calum’s lap bounced in excitement over the fact that the surprise they somehow managed to keep from him was finally going to be revealed. It wasn’t until Dovey came back into the living room holding a shoebox that the kids had colored and decorated with a generous amount of stickers and glitter that Calum realized he wasn’t the only one who had been up late crafting. 

“It’s for you, papa.” Charlie said as Calum took the box from a very doe-eyed Dovey, “We decorated it and put lots of drawings in there! But you can only see one every day." 

"Well, I think this is the best advent calendar ever!” Calum nodded. 

It wasn’t until later that day when the kids had gone off to school, each with a candy cane from the first day of their advent calendar that Calum had looked at his first gift of the holiday season. The shoebox was covered in stickers, some of which he was sure Elly had made the executive decision on placing to cover whatever logo was on the box before. Inside the box, Envelopes held either a drawing that each of the kids had drawn or a picture they’d picked out and Dovey had printed out. According to Dovey, the photos were for Calum so he could always keep them with him whenever he wasn’t home, the two kids knowing he’d be away for a few days in December to promote the latest single the band had released. When he was packing his bags to leave for the promo trip, he made sure to bring his shoebox of envelopes, promises that he would facetime his family so they could open their advent calendars together being sworn in to his heart before he left for the airport.


	2. Day Two: Tree Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum never thought going to a Christmas tree farm would end with him falling more and more in love with his girlfriend.

Calum had no idea why they needed a real tree. Those fake Christmas trees that already came with lights and could spin seemed like a great idea to him. But Dovey had simply shaken her head and thrown a pillow at his head, telling him that a real Christmas tree was the only way to celebrate Christmas. 

“It’s like saying you’re going to buy pre-carved pumpkins during Halloween, sweet boy! It ruins the whole point!" 

So, despite his idea to just get a fake tee, Calum found himself on the highway driving to a Christmas tree farm with Dovey. The California sky was grey, something he noticed would only happen when the weather was truly intending on keeping the usual warm city cold. Dovey had been playing a few of her favorite Christmas songs during the drive, her hand in Calum’s as she explained what they should look for once they got to the tree farm. She rambled on about different types of trees and why one was better than the other. He’d seen her researching trees a few days back, her mind too focused on whatever Christmas tree webpage she’d found to even notice Duke was no longer in her lap and that she was absentmindedly petting a pillow. 

If Calum was being honest, the only reason he had agreed to the tree farm was the promise of hot chocolate and apple cider donuts. The cold also meant that Dovey would stick by his side in order to keep warm, something Calum would never complain about. He’d chosen to stick with warm clothes, his trusty black jeans, and the green Empathy hoodie that seemed to push away any chill Calum found himself in. Dovey had been more prone to the cold, something Calum usually took to his advantage, and had decided to dress in multiple layers and even donned one of Calum’s beanies he’d forgotten that he’d owned. 

As the city disappeared behind them and the countryside brought views of the mountains and endless rows of trees, Calum found himself lost in thought, the warm hand in his bringing a smile to his face. This would be their first official Christmas since moving in together, something he knew had a deeper meaning to both him and Dovey than they were both willing to admit. It was the first Christmas where they both had a home, a home filled with love and joy and everything that was meant to be celebrated during the holiday season. So as the Christmas tree farm came into view, Calum knew that the day would be one to remember. 

"Do you want a drink?” Dovey had asked, her head leaning up to look up at Calum’s brown eyes and rosy cheeks. “They have amazing apple cider. I can get us some while the worker gets the tree secured?”

Christmas tree shopping had been eventful, to say the least, Dovey had led Calum around the plot of land that seemed to be filled with enough Christmas trees to make even Santa Claus jealous. They’d walked the plot back and forth, hand in hand as the cold sank into their bones with each new section of trees they passed by. Some trees were too big, both Dovey and Calum knowing that they would never fit in their living room. Other trees were too small and making Dovey laugh whenever Calum commented that they were almost as tall as her. It wasn’t until the sun had gone down and lights of green, red, and white adorned the sky that Calum and Dovey stumbled onto a tree that seemed to be calling their name. It hadn’t been too tall nor too small with just enough fullness to make both of them nod at one another and flag it down for the poor worker who had been following them around for a good chunk of their tree picking adventure. 

“Yeah, I’ll be in soon, I’m just going to make sure they know which one our car is. Maybe tip the fella, Santa knows he deserves it after putting up with us today.” Calum chuckled, a misty cloud appearing in front of his face that made Dovey’s face warm. 

It wasn’t after many thanks and apologies for taking too long to pick out a tree that Calum found himself walking into the wooden cafe and gift shop that was in the center of the farm. The Christmas lights hung up on the outside and the smoke coming out from the chimney enticing him to go in further. Inside, the smell of apple cider and powdered sugar made his stomach grumble, his eyes searching for Dovey who seemed to be laughing at a greeting card she was holding in her hands. He watched her from the entrance, studying the way her smile lit up her face and the way her shoulders shook as she tried to stifle her laughter. Calum broke out of his trance as he heard her name being called out from across the room, Dovey’s own head perking up from the card and her cheeks brightening when her eyes met Calum’s. She had set the card down, making her way over to the counter where she was met with two steaming cups and a bag that puffed out a cloud of powdered sugar when it was set down in front of her, before finally making her way over to where Calum stood smiling. 

It wasn’t until they were in the car, the farms light just a twinkle in the rearview mirror, that Calum let out a sigh he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in. Dovey had been nursing her hot apple cider, letting the warm drink soothe the chill in her bones as she watched the dark mountain scenery pass them, listening to the playlist Calum had put on for the drive home. 

“I love you, you know that?” Calum mumbled, glancing over at Dovey who had turned to look at him, both too flushed with emotion at the sudden confession. “Even when it took us all day long to pick out a tree.”

And Dovey, being Dovey, laughed quietly and nodded making sure to feed Calum another warm donut in an attempt to shut him up, “I love you more, sweet boy."


	3. Day Three: Christmas Baking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sending cookies to her family back home means Dovey gets to baking with the help of the little doves.

Dovey had a tradition of baking dozens of Christmas cookies and sending them to her family during December. When she and Calum first started dating she had invited him over for one of the many days where she’d be stuck in her kitchen for the whole afternoon, the kitchen filled with smells of peppermint and gingerbread. Calum tried his best to help the chaos that was Dovey baking, watching as his girlfriend rushed around the kitchen making three or four different types of cookies at one time. As their relationship progressed and they moved in together, it wasn’t a shock to wake up to the kitchen covered in powdered sugar and broken candy canes as Dovey hummed along to Christmas songs. By the time that the Doves were married, Calum was used to the routine of manning the Christmas playlist and keeping an eye on the timer to make sure there were no burnt cookies being sent out to Dovey’s family that year. 

When Charlie came around, Calum was positive that Dovey was not going to send out Christmas cookies that year, Charlie only being a few weeks old by the time her baking frenzy usually came around. But Dovey continued to surprise him and he found himself up as he hadn’t heard Charlie on the baby monitor at his usual four am feeding, only to be met with the familiar scent of gingerbread coming from down the hall in the kitchen. As his sleepy eyes opened up and Calum made his way towards the kitchen, he couldn’t help the swelling in his heart as he saw a very tired Dovey carrying Charlie in a sling while she quietly hummed a Christmas tune. With her arms free, thanks to the sling Charlie was currently sleeping in, Dovey was toiling away at mixing ingredients in a big bowl as she swayed along to the soft music coming from her phone. It was a moment Calum wouldn’t get out of his mind for many Christmases to come, even when little Charlie was too big for a sling and more excited about eating cookies than sleeping close to his mother’s chest. 

When Eloise came and grew up alongside Charlie, Calum knew that Dovey’s cookie-making crew had grown from just her, and later her and Calum, to the four of them. When Christmastime had rolled around the Hood household and the house was decorated with reds, greens, and many sparkles, Calum found himself once again sitting on the counter manning the Christmas playlist while his two kids and wife argued over who’s gingerbread man would be sent to grandma. They’d been arguing for over five minutes, each stating their case on why their gingerbread man was the best and why grandma would appreciate it more than the other, Calum just hoped the argument never reached him because if he was honest, his gingerbread man would beat them all. 

“Well, nana likes pink and mine has a pink skirt! She’d like it better than yours which has green!” Eloise had stated, her arms crossing her chest as she glared at her mother and brother. 

“Well nana doesn’t like sprinkles and yours has a lot of sprinkles! Mine has a turtle and she loves turtles like me!” Charlie argued, pushing his glasses up his nose as they slipped, eventually smearing blue icing on the temple of the round glasses. 

“Well your nana is my mom and she’s always liked my works of art! And she also loves green, thank you very much, Eloise.” Dovey had finally said, taking all three gingerbread men and putting them each into a box to join the rest of the cookies which would be shipped out to her family within the next few days. 

Calum had chuckled as he listened to his family argue, glancing over at Duke who seemed to also feel the way that Calum felt about the whole argument. But before they both knew it, Dovey and the two kids were back to baking and decorating, their feud was long forgotten as they sang along to Let it Snow. 

It wasn’t much later when the two kids were off in the living room and Dovey was wiping down the counters that had been filled with powdered sugar minutes before that Calum realized just how much his life had changed. He went from being alone during Christmastime, tagging along with the other guys to their celebrations, to having Dovey and the kids in his life. Before Dovey, Calum never really had a need to celebrate but now he was excited for Christmas to roll around. He was excited for the days where Dovey would drag them all into the kitchen to bake dozens and dozens of cookies. He was excited to see his kids decorate cookies and then fight over who made the best cookie. But mostly, Calum was too excited to have his own little family to celebrate Christmas with.


	4. Day Four: Present Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum finds himself stuck on what to get Dovey for Christmas.

Calum loved December and the holiday season. For him, it was a month filled with sweet dates and even sweeter kisses. But Calum loved December even more now that he had Dovey in his life. As Dovey’s birthday came and went and December rolled around, Calum was on the hunt for a Christmas present for her. Everyone in their friend group knew that Dovey was an amazing gift-giver, she’d gotten him gifts here and there whenever she saw something in the store that reminded her of Calum or something he had mentioned he was interested in getting. But now it was Calum’s turn to find a mind-blowing and thoughtful present for his sweet girl. Something that would really rock her socks off and make it a Christmas to remember. 

He’d been at the mall with Michael for what seemed like hours, crowds of people coming and going as the two of them seemed stuck in place. Michael had taken Calum to every store in the mall to find something, anything, that Dovey would like. At first, Calum had been set on getting a necklace for Dovey, something small but pretty to dangle from her neck every day. He just couldn’t seem to find the right one, they were never good enough for him, never standing out as something that he could see Dovey wearing. His eyes had glanced over at the rings in the display case, but his palms became sweaty and his heartbeat raced at the thought, so he simply kept searching. 

He was lost in the endless crowds of people looking for a present when Michael disappeared from his side, stating he had to stop in a shop to get Luke’s present and promising to find him while Calum did another lap around the endless halls of the shopping mall. Christmas music was playing all around him, a combination of every festive song imaginable jumbling into one mess that left Calum’s head pounding and slipping through crowds and stores to find a quiet spot. He was annoyed, his curls sticking to his forehead from the sweat that he could blame on either the amount of heat from his jacket and amount of people in the mall or from how stressed he was about Dovey’s present. It wasn’t until he found a door leading to the chilly air outside that he managed to take a deep breath, his lungs filling up with the December air that left him shivering. 

Michael had tried to help to the best of his abilities, he’d point out different items at every store they walked into, but he didn’t know Dovey as Calum did. Michael didn’t know that Dovey liked grey instead of white and that she didn’t like candles that smelled like vanilla because they made her head hurt. Michael didn’t know how Dovey hated glitter and those heels made her want to dive into an icy lake. Calum knew all of that, he knew that Dovey would’ve preferred a gold necklace instead of a silver one. He knew that Dovey wouldn’t have wanted anything too crazy or expensive, that would end with Calum getting a pillow thrown at his head, he had enough of those last Christmas when Dovey unwrapped her new laptop. Calum also knew somewhere deep down that she would be okay with whatever gift Calum got her, that she was always grateful to be able to spend the holidays with him and not have him off in some city doing band work. Calum also knew that Dovey would’ve probably killed him if she knew how stressed he’d gotten over a gift, his fingers itching to light a cigarette to calm his nerves. 

Calum watched as a woman walked past him, in one hand she was holding a brown paper bag, filled with different types of vinyl, and the other was tightly gripped in the hand of a little girl with curls too tight bounced whenever she took a step. He watched as they walked out into the open air, the little girl giggling as a breeze swept through and her curls flew with leaves. Calum couldn’t help the smile on his face as she watched her look back and wave at him before the mom pulled the vinyl and her daughter closer into the peacoat, protecting them from the wind. Before long, they were gone, disappearing behind a corner and a mere memory of waving back in Calum’s mind. He felt warm, the thought of tiny hands and curls stuck in his head as he walked back into the busy mall. His feet led him past the jewelry stores, past the clothing stores, past the baby supply store, and eventually, he ended up in the music shop. He was grateful to not have his brain jumbled by festive music, a soft melody playing throughout the aisles and aisles of CDs and vinyl.

Not too long after Calum found himself in Michael’s car, which seemed to be stuffed with bags and boxes of presents, on the highway with a brown paper bag filled with vinyl. A few of them were new to him, an album or two that Dovey had mentioned once to him. Some he was familiar with, having played the songs on the record throughout his life and wanting to introduce them to Dovey. One, however, was meant as a promise for the future, was meant to give Dovey the same feeling he got in the jewelry store and he hoped he wouldn’t make his intentions to obvious. All he had to do was wait for Christmas Day and learn how to dodge pillows.


	5. Day Five: Ice Skating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doves try to go ice skating with no one breaking an ankle, New York during Christmas is just that magical.

Christmastime in New York was something Calum had always seen in the movies, a magical and wonderful time to be in the city. The buildings were lit up with Christmas lights and the city was alive with holiday cheer. The cold weather meant that wearing a sweater and a coat could keep out the chill and a warm coffee would keep his hands warm too. He was standing in Central Park, taking in the view of the trees and the people, a combination of tourists and locals who came to the park to enjoy the open space. Music was playing somewhere off in the distance, the melody floating through the sky much like the snow had done so the night before. 

Calum had brought Dovey for a few days during December, promises of holiday cheer and shopping making them both pack their bags and jet off to the concrete jungle. Dovey had never visited New York during the holidays and Calum had been more than excited to be able to experience it all with her. Their first night in the city was met with a blanket of white fluffy snow covering the rooftops of the sky-high buildings, lights adorning the sky as they both walked hand in hand through the busy streets to find a dumpling place to fill up. Their night had consisted of soft kisses shared in between tasting courses and sips of wine, both of them walking through the city in a haze of adoration and sweet concoctions of love. It wasn’t until the snowfall had trapped them in their hotel room, watching the flurries cover the city from high up in the sky, that they fell into one another and rang in their trip. 

Dovey, who had been distracted by a stand selling warm hot dogs, had finally made her way back to Calum who had saved their place in line at the ice skating rink. With a warm hot dog in her hand and a smile on her face, she leaned into her sweet boy, who wasted no time in wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to his warmth. The cold had made her cheeks turn a rosy hue and her hands crave the warmth that only a hot dog bought from a street cart could satisfy. The beanie on her head pressed into Calum’s shoulder, nothing that he would complain about because if it meant Dovey was in his arms as he hummed along to whatever Christmas tune was playing through the speakers, it was worth it. 

“I think these hot dogs are just the best, I think I’ve eaten at least five on our trip here.” Dovey laughed, taking another bite of the so-called delicious hot dog that would take up a couple of minutes of their days in New York, “You promise you won’t let me fall and break my ankle?" 

"I promise. I’m a pro at ice-skating. How could I not be? I basically grew up in the snow, baby girl!” Calum nodded, watching as Dovey took another bite of the hot dog, her eyebrow raising in question at him. 

“But…you grew up in Australia?” Dovey said quietly, her brain trying to connect the dots but Calum had pulled her over to the ticket booth before she could protest more. 

The sun had gone down and the city seemed even more festive, if that was even possible, by the time Calum had managed to finish tying the laces on his ice skates. The ice rink which seemed to go on past the horizon was filled with all walks of life. Families with children pushing plastic penguins huddled together, groups of friends sporting whatever university was close laughed as they glided through the ice, and couples skated past hand in hand too busy lost in one another to really care much about anything else. By the time Calum had dragged Dovey into the rink, he was convinced everyone but him and Dovey had been professionally trained in the art of skating. People zoomed by them, having casual conversations about work or what their holiday plans were while he struggled to stay upright, one of his hands trapped in Dovey’s. It wasn’t until they were a few strides away from where they had entered the rink that Calum saw two kids skating backward that he realized exactly how out of their league he and Dovey were. 

“What the hell? You can put these in reverse?!” Dovey whispered over to him as she bumped into the sidewall, her hand gripping the wall tightly to stay upright as she looked down at her skates. “Did we not upgrade to the cool reverse skates, Dove?" 

"Pft! Sweet girl, we can barely make it an inch without almost toppling over. Do you really think we could go in reverse that easily? We’d end up with a new haircut if that was the case!” Calum huffed, steadying himself on his feet after what seemed like ages. 

“I told you we should’ve stolen those plastic penguins from those two kids near us!" 

"That would’ve been frowned upon.”

“Not by me!" 

Somehow, by a Christmas miracle perhaps, Dovey had learned that the secret to skating was to not stop moving. She’d left Calum behind a couple of times, only to slam into the sidewall in order to stop and wait for him. Eventually, the crowd seemed to die down and the threat of speed racers and children with plastic penguins left with it. Calum found himself next to Dovey again, both of them shuffling their way around the rink time and time again. Maybe it was the fact that New York had been magical in itself and Calum was secretly relieved that Dovey hadn’t somehow broken a bone, but ice-skating while Dovey sang along to Santa Baby was going to be a memory that would never leave him.


	6. Day Six: Christmas Market

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doves take on a Christmas market with a very excited Eloise who can't believe Scotland is real.

Scotland during the Christmas season was something right out of a movie. The snowy landscape made the Edinburgh castle seem just a little more majestic, the Christmas markets glowed in the dark afternoon, and Calum couldn’t help but laugh as Eloise decided she was no longer going back home because Scotland was home. 

They’d landed late at night, the city twinkling with lights as the snow fell around the city. The Airbnb they’d be staying at was a few steps away from the city center and through the stalls were closed and the rides were close, Calum couldn’t miss the excitement on his kids’ faces as they looked out the car window. Their breathing was small puffs in the chilly air as they made their way into the house, a brick fireplace already lit and greeting them with a warmth they hadn’t felt since they’d left California so many hours ago. 

Eloise had been the most excited about their trip to Scotland, her recent obsession with Lewis Capaldi had her talking with a Scottish accent most of the time, she’d been looking up anything she could about Edinburgh ever since Calum and Dovey had told both kids about their trip away for the holidays. She’d learned how there were a castle and all about the history of the city. But Eloise was most excited about the Christmas market. She’d forced Calum to promise her that they’d get to visit the Christmas market and that she’d get to see all the stalls. Even then, when Calum had taken the bags out of the cab and Dovey shuffled the two tired kids out of the cab and onto the doorstep to their home for the next couple of days, Eloise was wide awake and ready to explore. 

“Elly, we won’t get to go tonight, it’s already closed. But we’ll get to go tomorrow and you’ll get to explore your heart out. I promise.” Calum had whispered as he got his daughter into bed once they’d settled into their house. 

The next day had been filled with excitement and a lot of questions from Eloise, who would ask Dovey and Calum every ten minutes when they’d be going to the market. The first time she’d asked, they were sat in a cafe ordering breakfast, Calum had told her that the market wouldn’t open until it was dark outside. By the tenth time Eloise had asked, at the shopping mall they were walking through trying to find Charlie some replacement gloves since he had been lost on the cab ride, Calum’s answers had switched from enthusiastic to annoyed. But he continued to assure her that the market was on their list for tonight. 

After finding new gloves and maybe a few too many Christmas presents for their family back home, Calum had finally gotten a chance to sit down on the comfy couch their accommodations came with and close his eyes to relax for a bit. They’d had a busy day, walking up and down the hilly streets of Edinburgh as they took in the city and tried to become familiar with the city they’d be living in for the next couple of days. His legs hurt from climbing the hills and his arms were sore from all the bags he’d carried back home. His eyes shut as he drifted closed into a nap and he was just going to relax while Dovey ran a bath for Charlie to warm up and Eloise had a nap.

“Papa, can we go to the market now?” Eloise’s voice called out, his brain waking up as he felt tiny hands on his face. “Papa? You can’t sleep! We have to celebrate Christmas!" 

If Calum hadn’t been used to Eloise’s sticky hands waking him up, he was sure his daughter would’ve been halfway across the living room. But with a sigh and cracking bones, Calum got up from the couch with his daughter in his arms as he went on a search for his son and wife. 

"Dovey? Are you guys ready to head out?” he called out as he got Eloise into her coat and gloves to ward off the cold, trying to wrestle her tiny hands into the gloves as the excitement overpowered Eloise and made her squirm in his arms. 

It wasn’t long before all four of them walked through the lit-up stalls in the market, scents of peppermint and sweets filling their nostrils. Eloise had been holding Calum’s hand so tight he feared he was going to lose circulation but it was worth it to see Eloise’s eyes filled with joy as they walked through the aisles of the market. Every stall had something new to offer Eloise and she hadn’t hesitated to stop at every stall and ask Calum what everything was and if she could buy everything. They’d stopped to ride a couple of rides, Charlie and Eloise’s laughter ringing in the air as they went on the carousel. It wasn’t long before Calum found himself eating dinner from a stall selling cheese potatoes and sausages that seemed impossibly big, Elly’s excitement had died down and had been replaced with a quietness she got only when sleep time was near. 

Before long, stalls were starting to close and the lanes of the market became less crowded, Eloise had made her way from leading Calum through the market to laying her head on his shoulder. Her eyes still watched all the lights around her but they would close longer than a blink at times, the warmth her papa gave off lulling her closer to dreams of pandas and castles. 

“Did you like the market, Elly?” Calum whispered as they made their way through the market and back towards their home. 

“It was magical, papa."


	7. Zoo Lights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The zoo's Christmas event means hot chocolate, big coats, and Calum using his high school education to tell Charlie all about giraffes.

The sun had gone down just before Calum had pulled the car into the parking lot of the zoo. Dovey and Charlie had been singing along to the Christmas radio station that seemed to be the only thing they played in the car since December had started. Not that Calum minded the constant concerts Dovey and Charlie would perform in the car for him, it was a nice change for once. The parking lot was filling up, everyone wanting the perfect spot near the entrance of the zoo that had been decorated with Christmas lights galore. One of the main reasons why the Doves had decided to bring Charlie on the chilly December night. 

If there was one thing Charlie loved about Christmas more than Santa and presents, it was Christmas lights. Calum still remembers the first Christmas Charlie had spent with them, still too young to understand what was going on but his eyes seemed to be entranced by the twinkling lights in their neighborhood whenever they took him out on his daily walk. As Charlie got older and his glasses made the lights more than just shiny blobs in the night sky, he’d always ask Calum to go out and see the Christmas lights once December started. So, here they were, standing in line, all three of them bundled up in warm coats to fight off the chill, waiting for the annual Christmas zoo lights experience to open. 

“Do you think the giraffes will be wearing Santa hats, Charlie? That would be pretty cool.” Dovey had whispered to Charlie, whose wide eyes seemed to be trying to catch a glimpse of the lights from Calum’s arms. 

“Giraffes can’t wear hats, mama! They’re too tall!” Charlie laughed and shook his head, the bauble from his own Santa hat swinging side to side. 

“Your papa is tall and he can still wear a hat!” Dovey argued, laughing softly as Calum had shot her playful glare as the line advanced, and soon after they were in the main hub of the zoo. 

Lights were everywhere, sprinkled around the trees, wrapped around railings, and even dotting the animal exhibits. Charlie was mesmerized, his eyes looking around at all he could see, Christmas colors bouncing off his face with every turn of his face. Even when he walked a few steps in front of his parents, who would fawn over him every time Charlie would turn back to point out some more lights and the animals he was seeing, Charlie couldn’t help but feel like he was in a magical winter wonderland where every turn had something new for him to ask his papa about. It wasn’t until they’d made their way to the giraffe exhibit that Charlie’s leg’s grew tired and he had made grabby hands up towards his papa, who had been more than happy to hoist him up onto his shoulder to get a better view of the tall animals. 

“See mama, no hats!” Charlie had pointed out, watching in awe as one of the giraffes made their way over to the large tree they were standing by and started chomping on the green leaves. “Papa, what noise do ‘rafs make?”

“Oh, uh, they don’t make any noise, bub. Their necks are too long so they can’t make much noise.” Calum mumbled as he bounced the little boy on his shoulders, proud that he’d remembered at least one useful fact from his days in high school, “But they have really cool tongues, they’re very long!" 

It wasn’t much later when Calum had led his little family over to the tortoise exhibit, his wide smile earning a confused glance from his wife, who was carrying a very sleepy Charlie in her arms. The hot chocolate they had been sharing had made Charlie’s eyes droop close every now and then and paired with the warmth Dovey gave off, he’d be asleep in minutes so Calum had to hurry. As Calum led them towards the marker of the tortoise exhibit, he made sure to point out the donation sign to Dovey, a smirk covering his face as he saw her eyes widen in surprise. 

"Calum, you did not…” Dovey whispered as she reread the sign, tears pooling at her eyelashes, “Oh my god, Charlie, look what papa did!”

Charlie’s head rose from where it had been laying on Dovey’s shoulder, his tired eyes looking up at Calum confused. It wasn’t until he saw the picture of the tortoise that his tired eyes widened and he began to squirm in Dovey’s arms, asking to be put down. As soon as his feet were planted on the ground, Charlie was facing to the edge of the exhibit where he was met by a giant tortoise who seemed to be enjoying a head of lettuce as a snack. 

“Papa, look! It’s giant!” Charlie mumbled, watching in awe as the tortoise munched away without a care in the world, the exhibit around him lit up with white Christmas lights. 

“He is, huh? Do you know what his name is?” Calum asked and smiled as he crouched down next to his son, “It’s a pretty cool one." 

"Nu-uh. What is it?” Charlie asked his attention now on Calum, whose smile was so addicting Charlie couldn’t help but return. 

“Charlie, meet Charlie the tortoise!” Calum cheered, clapping his hands together as Dovey laughed shakily behind him, watching her two boys from behind her phone screen as she recorded the moment. 

“We got to meet Santa and see the giraffes and papa said that the turtle was named after me! I can go see him anytime I want because we have the same name!” Charlie’s voice rang out through the car, the zoo light’s becoming a blur in the background as Charlie had begged to call his grandmother and tell her all about his adventures at the Christmas zoo. 

Calum smiled as he listened to his son tell his mom all about the animals he saw and talk about his tortoise, which Calum had made a donation to the zoo in order to have it named after the little boy he knew loved turtles and tortoises so much. Calum’s glance shifted from the road ahead of him to Dovey, whose hand was resting comfortably on the small bump that had begun to show a few weeks back, a fond look on her face as she listened to the excitement in Charlie’s voice. 

“What animal are you going to name after your daughter, Hood?” she asked in a whisper, a teasing tone in her voice as she met his gaze. Her hand met his a few seconds later, a small kiss pressed against Calum’s knuckles as his eyes returned back to the road and he let out a chuckle.


	8. Day Eight: Christmas Spirit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With a newborn, the Christmas spirit is lost in the Hood household. Good thing Calum loves his wife as much as she loves Christmas.

Calum wasn’t really one to delve into the Christmas spirit. Every year on Christmas it just seemed like his life was too chaotic with scheduling tours, recording sessions, promo, and fitting his new lifestyle into all of that. He and Dovey had just welcomed their son into their lives a few weeks before the start of December and Calum couldn’t remember the last time he had a full eight hours of sleep. If he wasn’t waking up to care for a very whiny baby who would only fall asleep if Calum sang to him in a hushed voice or if Dovey was holding him near her chest, he was busy at the studio with the band finishing up the album they were meant to release in the new year. 

Dovey had always loved Christmas traditions, whether it was decorating the tree with strung-up popcorn or going out caroling with her family around the neighborhood. All of those things were too time-consuming with a newborn and Dovey feared that this would be the one Christmas where she and Calum would have to miss out on the holiday traditions. She’d been too tired to even go out and buy a tree, Charlie having kept her up most nights with feedings and making sure he was breathing every thirty seconds. She’d even tried to have a Christmas movie marathon with Calum, which ended with both of them making it fifteen minutes into A Christmas Carol before falling asleep in each other’s arms. It just seemed like Christmas was going to have to wait another year. 

It was the middle of the month when Calum noticed something was off about his wife. Having spent multiple Christmases with her, he knew that his wife loved nothing more than getting into the holiday spirit and going all out for the holiday. But as the days of December passed by and Dovey and he got used to their new parenthood, Calum couldn’t help but notice that their house still had fall decorations up and that the speaker in the kitchen hadn’t played a Christmas carol once. It wasn’t until he found Dovey in the nursery with tears falling down her cheeks as she held up a Santa onesie that he’d bought to celebrate Charlie’s first Christmas that he realized exactly how much of the Christmas spirit he’d felt the past years came from Dovey.

“Sweet girl, why don’t you get some sleep? I’ll watch the little one, yeah? Maybe he and I can go for a walk around the neighborhood and give you some peace.” Calum had whispered into his wife’s shoulder, his arms wrapping around her waist as both of them watched their baby boy squirm around his bassinet. 

Usually, Calum would complain when it came to putting up a Christmas tree, Dovey and he never agreed with the theme of their Christmas tree and it usually ended with them making another family member choosing for them. But here he was, in the late hours of the night with a sleeping baby strapped to his chest and his wife finally sleeping soundly upstairs while he strung up popcorn to wrap around the Christmas tree that Luke had gone to pick up for him after Calum had told him about the Hood household struggle to take on a newborn and Christmas. Luke had shown up a few hours before, helping him set up the Christmas tree in the living room and sneakily taking the time to hang out with his favorite baby while Calum set up a few decorations in and around the house. 

“You know, Charles, your papa loves your mama so much he would do the one thing he hates for her, getting on ladders to hang up Christmas lights in the dead of night.” Luke had whispered to the sleeping newborn, chuckling as he heard Calum walk back into the living room carrying bags of Christmas baubles and tinsel. “He’d do the same for you, little one." 

By the time Dovey had woken up the next morning after managing to have a full night’s sleep for the first time in months, Calum had transformed their house into a winter wonderland complete with the Christmas tree of Dovey’s dreams. Dovey’s first step in the morning was usually to walk into the nursery and check on the baby, so the panic rose in her when she was met with an empty bassinet. She’d rushed downstairs, her eyes wide as she was met with the smell of Christmas candles and twinkling lights that lit up the living room. It was still dark outside, the early morning sky still showing the stars outside, and her heart swelled as she heard soft snores coming from the couch. 

In the middle of what seemed like a Christmas bomb that had exploded, Dovey found Calum fast asleep, his hand resting flat on Charlie’s back who was snuggled into his papa’s chest, both of them the perfect image of one another. Squished cheeks and soft snores were all Dovey needed to see before she pulled a blanket over the two loves of her life, making sure to keep the chill away while she walked around the living room to explore exactly what Calum had been up to while she slept. When the fussy newborn let out a soft whine, Dovey hadn’t hesitated to take him from Calum, who only shift and chose to hug a pillow instead. 

"Did you and papa do this, sweet boy?” Dovey whispered as she soothed the baby in her arms, his brown eyes staring up at her and then on the twinkling lights that shone above their heads. “He’s a very special guy, isn’t he? Just like you." 

It wasn’t long until Dovey found herself in the kitchen, Charlie once again asleep in his sling while Dovey pulled out ingredients and preheated the oven, the quiet house filling with scents of Christmas cookies. Calum soon waking up to find that the Christmas spirit was once again in the Hood household and that his son’s first Christmas would be one to remember.


	9. Day Nine: Christmas Sweaters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Calum didn't expect to fight over Christmas sweaters but he's always been a little bit of the jealous type.

Calum rarely got into arguments with Dovey. So the fact that Dovey was currently giving him the silent treatment meant he had fucked up. It had been a small argument, something so dumb that Calum didn’t really even know why he’d kept up the fight. But as he watched Dovey moved throughout the kitchen, huffing quietly to herself as she made herself a cup of tea, he realized that fighting over Christmas sweaters had not been worth it. 

“I just don’t understand why you are so against them, Calum! It’s not like you’re going to be the only one who is wearing one! It is literally a sweater party, you’d look weirder if you showed up not wearing a Christmas sweater!” Dovey exclaimed on the car ride home from lunch with the band, “Why do you insist on always being difficult?”

Calum hadn’t really hated the idea of wearing Christmas sweaters to Michael’s party. It was fine with him really, what he had hated was the fact that one of Michael’s friends, who had decided to tag along to “band and partner only lunch,” asked Dovey to wear matching sweaters. At first, he had scoffed, knowing damn well if anyone was going to wear matching sweaters with Dovey it was going to be her boyfriend, Calum, not some random guy who he couldn’t even remember how Michael had met him. Calum wasn’t going to admit that he was jealous, because that was childish and he was not childish, so he resorted to telling Dovey that he wasn’t going to wear a Christmas sweater, hoping she wouldn’t want to wear one either. 

“Well, why don’t you just go matching with Brandon or whatever his name is? Seems like you were excited about the idea of matching with someone else.” Calum grumbled as the car pulled into the driveway of his house, his brain hurting after having to listen to Dovey’s complaint’s the entire car ride home. 

Dovey had scoffed at him and had not said anything to him as they both walked into the house, and when Calum had gone to his bedroom to change out of the shirt that seemed to be suffocating him, Dovey stormed into the kitchen. Calum knew they were both stubborn and that this silent treatment could go on for days, it’d happened before when Calum had told Dovey he’d be stuck at the studio and would miss their monthly movie marathon night. He had all intentions to go out and apologize to Dovey and tell her the truth, but then he saw her looking up Christmas sweater on her phone, and Brandon, or whatever his name was, a voice rang in his head again. 

We should match!

“I don’t want to match with him, you idiot.” Dovey’s voice pulled him back to reality, Calum’s eyebrows furrowing as he tried to think whether he’d said anything out loud instead of brewing in his head. “I want to match you, my boyfriend." 

"I don’t want to match with anyone but you, sweet girl.” Calum sighed, running a hand through his brown curls, as he took a seat next to her. His pouty lips found a spot on her shoulder, his arms snaking around her waist as he looked at her screen, his chest rumbling with laughter as he saw the green sweater on her screen. 

“You seriously want to wear those to the party?” Calum asked quietly, chuckling as Dovey nodded ordered both sweaters without hesitation. 

That’s how Calum had found himself at Michael’s Christmas party, in the ever-popular 5sos Christmas sweater, next to Dovey who looked more than proud with her outfit choice. He’d been nursing a Christmas cocktail that Dovey had said was way better than any beer he was planning on drinking when Dovey tugged on his hand. She had a smirk on her face, making Calum raise an eyebrow at her because she only did that when he was about to be teased.

“I think we are the cutest at the party, you know that? Even beat Zac’s sweater.” Dovey mumbled as she pressed a kiss onto Calum’s jaw. 

“Zac?” Calum asked confused, taking another sip of the very strong drink that had glowing ice cubes swimming around in it. 

“Mhm, think you called him Brandon? I still don’t know where you got that from, sweet boy.”

It had been Calum’s turn to laugh after that because if anyone was going to be jealous over Christmas sweaters, it was no longer going to be him. 

“Or whatever his name is."


	10. Day Ten: Traditions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Doves find a new Christmas tradition.

Calum loved any sign of structure in his life. His life was always a sense of chaos. Whether it was flying out for months on end to perform in front of thousands or whether he was stuck in a studio for weeks, writing his life into songs. Sometimes he’d wake up in a different country than the one he’d fallen asleep in, his brain and body trying to adjust to the constant time changes and the way his ears would pop anytime a plane took off. But it seemed like the only form of structure in his life nowadays seemed to be the holiday season with Dovey. 

Dovey was as passionate and Calum was, something she liked to remind Calum about, and the holidays were no joke to her. Calum was in New York, the band having been whisked away for a last-minute addition to a holiday concert series when Dovey had started decorating their house for the holidays. Even if Calum was hundreds of miles away, Dovey didn’t hesitate to send him pictures of how the living room was now sporting new decorative pillows and soft blankets that she’d purchased to make their already cozy house, even cozier. 

He would be away for a week and then be thrown straight into another week of radio promotion. This meant that their holiday celebrations would have to wait until the week before Christmas, something he knew Dovey would not appreciate. 

“I don’t know, it’s just strange seeing the living room with no tree,” Dovey mumbled into her phone as she made dinner, glancing over at her screen as she saw Calum’s face on her screen. “But I’m excited to have you back tomorrow night!”

Calum chuckled as he watched the whirlwind of a blur that was Dovey in the kitchen. She’d been chopping away at some vegetables one second and then would disappear from view as she rushed to stir whatever sauce she was making on the stove. Her image would freeze occasionally, leaving a blob on screen before she was off talking about the latest adventure that her day had been. 

“I am too, sweet girl. Maybe we can grab a tree and decorate it these next few days?” Calum mumbled as he ran his hand through his hair, “I have one day off before the radio promo starts up again. I’ve got to go, okay? I love you, take care.” And with that, Dovey and Calum were both alone again. 

Two weeks away turned into more as delays in plans and flights caused the band to be stuck in New York. The city was beautiful during Christmastime, with lights galore along the streets and music in the air. But the one thing Calum wanted more than lights and a giant tree was to be home with Dovey. Who had taken the news with gracefulness, shrugging off the bad news and telling him that she’d be waiting for him at home. That didn’t calm his nerves, nor did it stop the pit of guilt from growing every time he and the band would go out to enjoy the city while they were stuck in it. 

It wasn’t until two days before Christmas when Calum had been officially sick and tired of the concrete jungle that he’d received a boarding pass to fly back home. But knowing Calum’s luck, that flight was delayed too and it wasn’t until late into Christmas day that his feet finally touched down in LA and he was making his way back home to Dovey. His phone had died a couple of hours before he was meant to board his plane and the city was filled to the brim with traffic as everyone tried to get home for the holiday. 

The sky was dark by the time Calum had rolled his suitcase up the driveway, the house bare of any Christmas lights or tree in the window like he’d seen in years past. He felt a sense of relief when his key still unlocked the door and an even bigger sense of relief when he heard soft music playing in what he could only assume was the kitchen. Leaving his suitcase at the door, he followed the sound of music and the smell of what he assumed was takeout. 

“Dovey?” Calum whispered quietly, smiling as he saw her. She was dressed in a pair of Santa Claus pajamas, sporting a Santa hat while she stirred away at a pot on the stove. 

“Calum! You made it!” Dovey gasped as she turned to face him, rushing over and jumping into his arms, “I didn’t think you were going to make it.” she mumbled into his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. Merry Christmas.”

Calum had settled back into being at home, a quick shower, and a new set of matching pajamas later, that he found himself sitting on the couch with a blanket over his lap. Dovey was still in the kitchen, after having made Calum pick the crappiest Christmas movie he could think of while he waited for her. He’d run through their alarmingly large collection of Christmas movies and picked out one that he’d remembered falling asleep through, the title screen staring back at him when Dovey had walked into the living room carrying two bowls. 

“I was learning how to make Pad Sew Ew, I know it’s your favorite,” Dovey said happily, handing Calum his bowl of dinner before she took a seat next to him. “I know it’s not traditional Christmas food, but I didn’t think I’d be seeing you so I…”

“I love it, Dovey, I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.” Calum sighed as he looked down at his food, the steaming goodness making his hungry stomach growl, “I wish we could’ve done more Christmas stuff together.”

“You don’t have to apologize, it’s part of your job. I get it, Dove.” Dovey mumbled before taking a bite out of a bok choy, “We can make this a new tradition. We can make pad see ew on Christmas night and watch a ridiculously bad movie to celebrate." 

"A new tradition? I like that.” Calum nodded. It wasn’t long until their bowls were empty and the movie was playing in the background that Calum found his head on Dovey’s shoulder. His eyes would flutter close every few scenes, the stress of traveling and wondering if he’d be home for Christmas catching up to him. His breathing evened out halfway through the movie, his eyes finally closing as he felt Dovey press a kiss onto the top of his head. 

“Merry Christmas, Calum."


	11. Day Eleven: Snowfall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The cabin the Doves bring their kids t during the holiday break holds a lot of memories.

In Calum’s experience, silence usually meant his kids were up to no good. Waking up in an unfamiliar bedroom with silence, not even the quiet snores Dovey usually let out, had Calum out of bed quicker than when he was on tour and had to race to the bathroom before any of the other guys had first pick at the shower. The cabin had been just a dark series of hallways when Calum and his family had arrived last night, a plane ride and a few hours drive up a mountain later. Charlie and Elly had been asleep before Calum pulled into the driveway where they’d be staying for a few days during the holiday break. He’d watched as Dovey struggled to carry a four-year-old Eloise out from the car and into the cabin, all while he carried a snoring Charlie in one arm and rolled two suitcases inside with the other. It wasn’t much later that he and Dovey found themselves tucked under the warm blankets of their bed, both too tired from the long trip to even try and get some quality time together.

Calum’s body relaxed under the stream of hot water, steam filling up the bathroom as he washed the conditioner out of his hair. It’d been a while since he’d had a break from the constant go of his job, only recently have gotten back home from a tour that kept him away from his family for three months. He was glad that they’d have the next couple of weeks together, the band only having booked a few studio sessions in the later part of the new year. The trip out to the cabin was just another reason to let loose and make some fun memories with his kids and Dovey. 

By the time he’d stepped out of the bathroom and gotten dressed in some warm clothes, snow was falling outside, the early morning sun hidden behind pink clouds. The quietness around the cabin had Calum walking downstairs to find his family, not expecting to find his two kids huddled under a blanket watching the snowfall near one of the large windows that gave away the view of the mountains. Sneaking a quick picture of the two kids who seemed to be lost in the snowfall, Calum made his way to the kitchen, where sizzling and soft humming called out to him. 

“Good morning, sweet boy. Sleep okay?” Dovey asked as she saw Calum walk into the kitchen, her body covered by a soft sweater that seemed too familiar to Calum. “I’m making your favorite." 

"I’m too spoiled by you, you know that? You had two amazing kids with me and then you still make me my favorite potato hash?” Calum chuckled as he walked up behind her, his arms snaking around Dovey’s waist as he pulled her flush against his chest. “Don’t know how I got so lucky,” he whispered against her shoulder, his lips pressing a soft kiss onto the exposed skin.

“Ugh, I know right? I must be the best.” Dovey chuckled, “Did you see the snow? Just like that first winter, we came here, before Charlie and Eloise." 

"Mhm, just have more company this time around.” Calum teased and smiled at the memory, his thumb tracing small circles on Dovey’s hip as he looked back out the windows. 

The snow had been falling all day, piling up at the doors and windows. Calum had planned to go on a hike to the lake a few minutes away from the cabin but that seemed to be off. He’d planned to proposed to Dovey that day, the ring in his pocket weighing him down as more and more snow fell from the clouds. The whole trip there, Calum had been running through his plan a thousand times over, how he’d give her a whole speech to confess his love to her, and then he’d get down on one knee. But he was pretty sure that if he tried that then both he and Dovey would’ve ended up with hypothermia. Dovey had noticed something off about him, how silent he’d gotten ever since the snow began to fall and the hike they’d meant to take was replaced with playing board games indoors. It wasn’t until later that night, after Calum’s multiple failed attempts to light the fireplace when he and Dovey found themselves under a blanket on the floor. Tangled limbs and breathy kisses made him dizzy, the way Dovey’s skin glowed underneath him from the firelight made his heart pound. 

“Marry me.” he’d whispered against her skin as his hips rolled into hers, getting lost in the way Dovey’s moans bounced off the walls.

“Yes.”

“Earth to Calum?” Dovey chuckled as she nudged him, “You there, Dove?" 

"Yeah, just got lost in the snow.” Calum chuckled, “We should play some board games today, show the kids the pictures we have from here before they were born. I think they’d like them." 

"Only the PG ones,” Dovey said in a teasing tone as she served up the plates of breakfast. “Don’t need to scar them this early on." 

As the snow fell outside and the fire warmed up the living room, Calum couldn’t help but feel in awe of the life he’d made for himself. He had two kids who were busy fighting over who got to be the dog in monopoly. He had an amazing life partner who would follow him through his adventures and then be there to bring him back down to Earth. He glanced over at Dovey who was sat near the fireplace, the hot chocolate in her hand steaming as she flipped through the latest book she’d been trying to get through. It was a perfect life, one he never knew he’d have but he wouldn’t have it any other way. He had the snowfall to thank for that.


	12. Day Twelve: Joyeux Noël

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Soft music, warm kisses, and Christmas spent in Paris.

“Hold me close and hold me fast, the magical spell you cast…” Calum’s voice sang out quietly, almost lost in the wind as he looked out over the balcony at the shimmering lights of the city, “This is la vie en rose…”

Christmas had always spent with family, something both Calum and Dovey were used to. But this year had been different, life on the road meant that Christmas was the only break Calum would have for a few months and he was determined to make it a special one for his family. The last show the band had to play before their holiday break started was in Paris and Calum couldn’t think of a more magical way to spend Christmas with his family than in Paris. He’d called Dovey a few weeks before the show, telling her all about his plan to bring them to Paris and promising to have one of the most magical Christmases in the world. 

The kids could barely contain their excitement. All throughout the flight from the states to Paris, Charlie and Eloise would ask Dovey any question that came to their mind about the city of love and if it was true that the baguettes there were the tastiest on Earth. It wasn’t long before the ocean out the tiny window was replaced with twinkling lights and snowy scenes. Eloise had stayed awake after Charlie had drifted off to sleep, dreaming of magical streets and all the croissants, hoping to ask her mom more about Christmas in Paris. 

“How will Santa know where to find us, mama? Won’t he think that we are home and leave our presents there instead?” Eloise had asked softly, looking up at Dovey from the Christmas film she had been watching. 

“Your papa made sure to tell Santa all about your Christmas plans.” Dovey nodded, smoothing back the unruly curls of the five-year-old, “I don’t think it’s something you have to worry much about." 

Calum had met them at the airport, chuckling as he saw the two kids wrapped up in puffy coats and scarves to keep out the chill that the snow had brought along. He’d rushed over to his family, who had yet to spot him in the busy airport, and pulled them into a tight hug. It wasn’t long before he was leading them over to the car and they were making their way through the city back to the hotel. The streets were still mostly empty, too early in the morning for many people to even want to consider leaving the warmth of their homes. He could tell his kids were tired, the quietness in the car as they looked out at the snowy streets through tired eyes an obvious giveaway. By the time they were all back in the hotel room, the sun was peeking out over the horizon, and the kids were back to snoring in bed. 

The days leading up to Christmas were spent exploring the city. Calum had taken them all around, answering any questions Charlie and Eloise had. One day was spent at the Eiffel Tower, where Calum told them the story about how he’d brought Dovey here once in the spring and had started planning on ways to propose to her. On a different day, they’d gone to the shopping district, spending hours walking through alleyways filled with boutiques and even managing to find a Santa, which Eloise had insisted on getting a picture with. 

On Christmas, when Dovey and Calum had been woken up by their two kids jumping into their bed and telling them all about the snow outside, Calum had treated them to a breakfast in their room. He’d always made Christmas breakfast, which mainly consisted of pancakes shaped like snowmen and fruit he’d cut up to look like stars. This year had been no different and as he watched the snowfall from the balcony while he sipped his coffee, he was just grateful to have his family with him. As the kids opened the presents under the small tree that the hotel had graciously set up in the room, after Calum had butchered his way through the little french he knew, the Christmas spirit flowed through the Hoods.

"I think you held up your promise, you know?” Dovey whispered into Calum’s chest bringing him back to the present, where soft music and even softer snores filled the room. “It’s been a magical Christmas." 

"One of our best so far,” Calum whispered and smiled as he pressed a kiss onto his wife’s forehead, humming quietly along to the sound of trumpets. “We should do this again, don’t you think?" 

"Yeah? I’m sure the kids would love that too, Dove,” she mumbled into the night, pressing a soft kiss onto Calum’s lips, “Glad we got to spend the holidays together.” 

Calum nodded, holding Dovey close as he led her back over to the couch where he settled down next to the two snoring kids. With Dovey’s head on his chest and the warmth of the fireplace against his skin, he couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend the holiday. As Dovey’s breaths evened out, Calum pressed a kiss to the top of her head and closed his own eyes. 

“Give your heart and soul to me and life will always be, la vie en rose”


End file.
